Individual melodic lines are sacrificed to create "clouds of sound". This is particularly evident in sections 52–59, where the speed of glissandi is determined by probability theory. Where to Find the Score
: This PDF provides excellent visual comparisons between the graphic "cloud" charts and the traditional notation for bars 52–57 at College of the Holy Cross xenakis pithoprakta score pdf
Xenakis, having worked as an assistant to Le Corbusier, used architectural drafting tools to compose. The opening pages of Pithoprakta do not use a standard 5-line staff. Instead, they use a Cartesian coordinate system: Individual melodic lines are sacrificed to create "clouds
A recording of Pithoprakta can be overwhelming. The sheer density of sound makes it difficult to isolate individual voices. However, a digital score allows the researcher to "zoom in" on specific measures. You can see exactly how Xenakis calculated the trajectory of a specific violin line within the swarm. You can trace the path of individual instruments to see how they contribute to the macro-structure. The opening pages of Pithoprakta do not use